Hi, I have not been on HIV meds yet but my recent counts indicate its a good idea (VL400,000/CD4 370)My question is that I've had shingles 4-5 times in the last 3years.How interrelated are shingles and KS?Do you know of any studies pointing to an increased risk in untreated shingles patients to get KS?And can KS start before CD4 counts drop to <200?-JJ

Response from Dr. Dezube

Although both shingles and KS are causes by viruses, I am NOT aware of any relationship between the two. So the simple answer to your question is that you are NOT at an increased risk to get KS if you get shingles.
In response to your second questions, KS can indeed start before CD4 count drops to <200. In fact, such a scenario is not uncommon. Typically the KS that occurs at higher CD4 counts is less aggressive than the KS that occurs at lower CD4 counts.

PS: With a VL of 400,000, I agree that you should start potent anti-retroviral therapy.

This forum is designed for educational purposes only, and experts are not rendering medical, mental health, legal or other professional advice or services. If you have or suspect you may have a medical, mental health, legal or other problem that requires advice, consult your own caregiver, attorney or other qualified professional.

Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither TheBody.com nor any advertiser is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.

The Body is a service of Remedy Health Media, LLC, 750 3rd Avenue, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10017. The Body and its logos are trademarks of Remedy Health Media, LLC, and its subsidiaries, which owns the copyright of The Body's homepage, topic pages, page designs and HTML code. General Disclaimer: The Body is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information provided through The Body should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your health care provider.